Yanxing Gate
Yanxing Gate was the east gate of Chang 'an City. The official road to Luoyang started from Yanxing Gate and went all the way to Luoyang. Luoyang was 800 li away from Yanxing Gate. It was the gate with the most traffic in Chang' an City. Every day, countless merchants and pedestrians came and went from here.
Today, Yanxing Gate had changed greatly. The previously yellow official road had disappeared and was replaced by a new brick road outside the gate. It was clean and tidy.
According to the news from Mo Jiazi's younger brother, the brick road to Chang 'an City and Luoyang City was under construction from Chang' an City and Luoyang City respectively. The construction speed had greatly increased and was now more than half completed. The project would definitely be completed before the end of the year.
On the wide and flat turning road, carriages headed to Luoyang were ready to set off. The end of the year was approaching and business was officially busy. Outside Yanxing Gate, it was unusually lively.
Beside one of the carriages, Meton and the other three were sending off Zu Mingjun and Kong Huisuo. The two would head to Luoyang together. After parting ways in Luoyang, Zu Mingjun would take a boat from the canal back to his hometown in Fanyang, while Kong Huisuo would head east along the official road back to Qufu in Shandong Province. She would try to rush back home before the end of the year.
"Everyone, take care!" Zu Mingjun cupped his hands and said with a heavy heart.
In this era, transportation was extremely inconvenient and the range of people's activities was extremely small. Men were still fine as they often went out to serve the corvee. Ordinary women, on the other hand, had probably never left the county in their lives. There were even many who did not leave the countryside.
Many times, parting would be for many years or even forever. This made people sigh.
Everyone naturally knew that the possibility of meeting again was very low. Unless the two came to Chang 'an City to seek an official position, it would be difficult to meet again. They could not help but feel very heavy.
Meton suddenly smiled and said, "Everyone, don't worry. In the future, when the ten brick roads of the Tang dynasty are completed, it will take at most five days from Shandong to Chang 'an City. If we travel day and night, it will only take about three days. It won't be difficult to meet again in the future."
"That's right!"
Only then did everyone remember that the construction of the brick road had already been put on the agenda. Once the brick road between Chang 'an and Luoyang was completed, it was bound to be paved from Luoyang to the east, and then radiate to all the roads in the country.
With the perfect combination of brick roads and four-wheeled carriages, the transportation of the entire Tang dynasty would definitely take a huge leap. The long journey would no longer be bumpy, rain or shine. At that time, there would no longer be the situation of children leaving home and returning to their parents. Even the saying that parents should not travel far away would become history.
"Alright, then we'll wait for that day!" Immediately, everyone's sorrow of separation dissipated.
"Everyone, please wait!" Kong Hui Suo stepped onto the carriage and cupped his hands.
"Forgive us for not seeing you off. Have a safe trip!" Meton and the other three said their goodbyes reluctantly.
It wasn't until the four-wheeled carriage was far away that Meton and the others put away their melancholy and were about to return.
At the end of the brick road, there was a long line of carriages coming towards them. The scale and grandeur of the carriages made people click their tongues. The commoners on both sides of the road all stepped aside and pointed at the long line of carriages.
"Who is this? Cheng Chumo said discontentedly.
Everyone shook their heads and guessed.
The people in the carriages were all short, dark-skinned, and dressed in hemp clothes. They were unusually vigorous, and it was obvious that they were not Han people.
"Southern barbarians?" A traveling merchant suddenly exclaimed.
"Southern barbarians? With such grandeur, is it the Feng family? "Qin Huaiyu suddenly realized.
"Feng family? Is it the leader of the Southern barbarians, Feng Ang? "Meton thought.
Feng Ang was actually a Han person. His ancestor married Lady Xian of the Southern Yue and became the leader of the Southern Yue. After that, three generations of his ancestors invaded the Southern Yue. Although he was a Han person, with the support of the imperial court, he firmly held the position of the chief of the Southern Yue. Although he did not have the title of Prince, he was still the King of the Southern Yue.
In order to appease the Southern Yue, Li Shimin had to make Feng Ang the Pillar of the State. This was a position that none of the feudal officials could achieve.
"Who are you?" The guards of the Yanxing Gate had already heard the news and quickly came forward to interrogate.
"We are the General Manager of Gaozhou, the subordinates of High Duke Geng. This is our token!" The leader of the carriages was a brawny man in black. He quickly took out his token and checked it.
"It is the Feng family of the Southern Yue!" Meton and the other three looked at each other. Feng Ang guarded the Southern Yue and was given the title of General Manager of Gaozhou and High Duke Geng by the imperial court.
The guards at the gate checked carefully. After confirming that there was no mistake, they let down their guard.
"What is this?" The guards at the gate saw a long line of carriages, each of which was full of goods. They were about to do a routine check.
"General, is this the birthday gift from High Duke Geng to the Retired Emperor?" The brawny man in black said quickly.
"The Retired Emperor's birthday gift?"
The guards at the gate heard this and let them go.
"The Retired Emperor's birthday?" Meton asked in surprise as he watched the carriages of the Feng family enter Chang 'an.
"You don't know? News of this has already spread in Chang 'an? "Cheng Chumo looked at him.
Meton shook his head. He had been preparing for the end-of-year examinations of the Imperial College. He did not pay attention to other things. He really did not pay attention to the Retired Emperor's birthday.
"It is said that the Retired Emperor is old and his health is deteriorating day by day. The Emperor must take this opportunity to show his filial piety and hold a big celebration! The Feng family must have come for this! "Qin Huaiyu said in a low voice.
Yuchi Baolin nodded and said, "The Retired Emperor is Feng Ang's benefactor."
Back then, when Li Yuan unified the world, Feng Ang occupied Lingnan. Li Yuan sent Li Jing to go on a punitive expedition, and a declaration of war settled Lingnan. However, Li Yuan did not treat Feng Ang unfairly, and immediately conferred him a high official with a generous salary.
"High Duke Geng, Feng Ang, is indeed a character to be able to stand firm in such a dangerous place like the Southern Yue. However, his son may not be so." Qin Huaiyu chuckled.
"His son?" Meton asked in surprise.
"When Feng Ang came to Chang 'an to pay tribute for many years, the whole court said that Feng Ang had rebelled. Only Wei Zheng said that he sent a messenger to appease Feng Ang. Then Feng Ang immediately sent his eldest son, Feng Zhidai, to Chang' an to appease the court." Qin Huaiyu explained.
Cheng Chumo added, "What a pity. Like father, like son. Feng Ang was brave all his life, but Feng Zhidai turned out to be a weak scholar. He spent all his time practicing calligraphy and reciting poems. He became the joke of Chang 'an."
Meton suddenly understood. Feng Zhidai came to Chang 'an as a hostage. Practicing calligraphy and reciting poems was a way to protect himself.
After all, the Southern Yue was far away and the court's control over it was very weak. Previously, the court had no time to pay attention to the Southern Yue. They could only use Feng Ang and guard against him. If Feng Zhidai performed brilliantly, how could the court rest assured?
As for the Feng family, Meton did not dare to underestimate them. It was said that the most arrogant thing that Li Bai did in the future was to have the imperial concubine support him and the strongman take off his boots. The strongman here was Emperor Xuanzong's trusted eunuch, Gao Lishi. He was Feng Ang's great-grandson.
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